| As a photographer, there was always something I | | | | these Polish people in Peru, though most were either |
| enjoyed about taking photographs on the street, and I | | | | woman; who were at least 20 years older then myself |
| speak not of only monuments or buildings which | | | | and married or men who worked at the embassy. |
| compose the landscape of a city but of what I would | | | | Actually, most of these people I got to see once a |
| hail as the "life of the city". By this it is the people and | | | | month, as that is how often the Polish embassy held a |
| their activities of going about that I have in mind, for it is | | | | reunion, mostly attended by Polish people living in Peru |
| there that I see the spirit of the city I happen to be in at | | | | and their usually Peruvian relatives. It was in one of |
| the time. This which I speak of is in people going to | | | | these monthly visits that I met a young secretary, |
| work, both men and women dressed in their business | | | | whose boyfriend; just happened to be the Polish |
| suits, some attractive while others interesting or the | | | | ambassador's son and one who discretion prevented |
| stores or even in the street vendors; always on the | | | | me from telling that he would be wise to "go on the |
| make in big cities where capital is everywhere. | | | | wagon", as sober was never a state I saw him in. |
| It was all this and perhaps more that my camera and I | | | | These monthly meetings were for the most part used |
| had captured in some of South America's | | | | for speaking the Polish language and having coffee, |
| metropolises, such as Buenos Aires, Santiago and | | | | cake and tea which sometimes came accompanied |
| even Lima, when going about searching for what my | | | | by a Polish film. I, even remember on one occasion |
| imagination considered worthy of capturing on film. In | | | | taking an aunt of mine, living in Lima (Italian descent) to |
| the search for material to photograph I had also met | | | | these meetings; who as expected charmed with her |
| the acquaintance of many a person, some of whom I | | | | grace and elegance all those she came in to contact |
| went on to base characters for my stories on. In all | | | | with. Polish culture or the presentation of which in Peru |
| these people however there was one, particular young | | | | for the most part however was what these |
| lady by the name Marinha, who caught my attention | | | | encounters were about and I do recall on one |
| as she saw me on a bus in Lima, Peru and told me I | | | | occasion hearing the Polish national anthem for the first |
| should not carry my camera around because it might | | | | time not including a televised football game. |
| get stolen. Her suggestion or word of advice even | | | | In all this that concerns Polish influence in Peru, apart |
| reminded me of what a policeman, had told me once | | | | from Tyminski (presidential candidate of Poland in 1990) |
| in Amsterdam, that with the kind of camera I had on | | | | having a Peruvian wife, regarding which I heard an |
| me I should take another street to get to the main train | | | | interesting though unconfirmed story of how he got |
| station then the one he had suggested. I do not really | | | | her as a present from a shaman in the jungle, there |
| know what it was about this young woman, who | | | | was also the factor of two Polish priests who had |
| granted was attractive or that moment but I got in to | | | | made headlines on the day of my arrival in Lima. |
| one of my many talkative moods that saw me explain | | | | These for being killed by terrorists while working as |
| that I had to carry a camera all the time because I | | | | missionaries in the mountain city of Ayacucho, which |
| was a photographer. It was not that I had not said this | | | | put some freight in to me, who had just arrived in Lima |
| to others who had asked before but I remember | | | | as to how the situation really was in the country. It was |
| carrying on with my explanation by telling her that I | | | | later that I even met a Peruvian girl, who did not speak |
| took photographs for a magazine in Poland. | | | | any Polish, what so ever; who told me she not only |
| Some had been surprised by what I had told them but | | | | had heard of these two priests who were killed in late |
| none as much as I was the moment I heard Marinha | | | | August of 91 but had actually had contact with them. |
| ask me "do you speak Polish?" in Polish. This was | | | | This girl whose name I have forgotten told me the two |
| almost incredible; for the chances of meeting a Polish | | | | Polish priests were very nice and really cared to help |
| speaking person in Peru were almost astronomical. | | | | people but it was this that led to their demise. |
| After all, Peru was and probably still is; one of the | | | | Actually the story, I later heard on the matter of these |
| countries in the world less visited or immigrated for that | | | | two Polish priests was that they along with an Italian |
| matter by Polish people and yet there I stood with a | | | | priest were warned by the terrorists who killed them |
| Peruvian woman who could speak Polish. True her | | | | beforehand to leave behind not only their work but the |
| Polish was not perfect and did have a foreigner's | | | | city as well or face execution. This a warning they |
| accent to it but she could speak. | | | | obviously did not heed, perhaps not believing it would |
| Finding such a person in New York or even Buenos | | | | come to pass or that there work in the town was of |
| Aires would not have surprised me as Argentina has | | | | such consequence that it was worth risking their lives |
| the biggest Polish population on the South American | | | | for but regardless of which these two Polish priest, |
| continent. I, naturally upon hearing her question, replied in | | | | who left a good account of themselves with those |
| Polish which started us on a conversation that included | | | | who knew them were tragically murdered. |
| her telling me that her mother was Polish, while her | | | | As for Marinha and I, two weeks would go by |
| mother Peruvian. I; for my part in this conversation | | | | between our first improvised encounter on the bus and |
| informed her that I had no Polish roots in me what so | | | | the day of my visit to her children's day care center. It |
| ever but simply that I had gone to Poland and had | | | | was something, I will never forget seeing Marinha, play |
| studied the language, after which I managed to get | | | | with those children, some of whom I got photographs |
| connected to several Polish magazines, whom I still | | | | of while they ran around in a patio, or played at their |
| send some of my material, though mostly what I | | | | desks or made use of scissors to cut paper dolls, in |
| considered would be of interest to people in Poland. | | | | what Marinha told me was an exercise for their hands. |
| Marinha told me, her family ran a day care center for | | | | Most of the children did not mind being photographed, |
| children out of her house, where she worked as an | | | | though some despite being only four years old or |
| instructor. I, Naturally always looking for what could be | | | | younger did, perhaps it had been their parents who for |
| a chance to get a few interesting shots asked | | | | security reasons concerning terrorism at the time |
| Marinha, if I could get some photos not only of her but | | | | preferred not to have their children's photos published |
| of her school and the children in it. Marinha, I could tell at | | | | anywhere. |
| first had doubts but went along with my idea though | | | | As for the photos, I would take that day which were |
| she did ask me to call her up to make an appointment; | | | | about a role's worth; these I would send to Marinha, |
| so we could meet at her school on another occasion, | | | | given that I really had not much use for and though I |
| given that on this one we were both pressed for time. | | | | will always remember our encounter on the bus and |
| Marinha's words however regarding my camera | | | | her words of warning concerning my camera not |
| unfortunately for me would turn out to be prophetic, as | | | | getting stolen, Marinha and I would never see each |
| it came to pass that I was robbed of my camera, | | | | other again. This being that I became more involved in |
| literally at gun point; just a few months later and not as | | | | other projects concerning photography even after my |
| many as two kilometers from where she had given | | | | camera was stolen and she went out of town. |
| me this warning or advice. | | | | In conclusion, I would say though Peru has very little in |
| After meeting Marinha, I started thinking how small the | | | | the way of Polish influence even for a South |
| world really was and though I had met several Poles | | | | American country, it has some that I felt should be |
| or Polish speaking people in Lima. This due to the fact | | | | mentioned. Naturally Poland's influence in Peru is very |
| that I had been to the Polish embassy, there was | | | | small specially when compared with Brazil or |
| something so spontaneous about our first meeting, her | | | | Argentina, the later one of these two countries even |
| coming out and asking me in Polish if I spoke this | | | | having its famous tango (at least in part) created by |
| language. It was simply something which I would have | | | | Polish immigrants. As for the other way around, in all |
| never expected to hear on a bus on a bus in Lima. | | | | my time in Poland I have only met one Peruvian, who |
| As for the Polish embassy; it was there where I had | | | | was not a musician of the variety of music that |
| met a few Polish people, though the reality that had | | | | comes from the Andes but at least there are some |
| been presented to me was that the Polonia (a Polish | | | | who have made it this far from their country of origin. |
| word for Poles living outside of Poland) in the whole of | | | | An example of which being a football player who |
| Peru, numbered somewhere between 20 to 30 | | | | came to Poland to represent the colors of the team |
| people. I by then had even gotten to know many of | | | | known as "Lech Poznan". |
